SKIN ANTISEPTICS

Course overview

ANTISEPTICS ARE CHEMICAL AGENTS APPLIED TO THE SKIN TO REDUCE THE MICROBIAL COUNT AND REDUCE THE RISK OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS (SSIS). SSIS ARE DEFINED AS AN INFECTION OCCURRING AT THE SURGICAL SITE WITHIN 30 DAYS BEFORE A PROCEDURE AND REPRESENT ONE OF THE MOST COMMON COMPLICATIONS OF DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY. COMMONLY USED ANTISEPTIC AGENTS IN DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY INCLUDE CHLORHEXIDINE, POVIDONE-IODINE, CHLOROXYLENOL, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, HEXACHLOROPHENE, BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE, AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE. THEY SHOULD BE USED FOR MOST, IF NOT ALL, PROCEDURES THAT ENTER THE DERMIS OF THE SKIN OR DEEPER. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE INDICATIONS, MECHANISM OF ACTION, METHODS OF ADMINISTRATION, IMPORTANT ADVERSE EFFECTS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND MONITORING, OF SKIN ANTISEPTICS, SO PROVIDERS CAN DIRECT PATIENT THERAPY WHERE THEY ARE INDICATED AS PART OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM.